Skaby Castle after a devastating fire: there is a risk of collapse!

Skaby Castle after a devastating fire: there is a risk of collapse!

In Spreenhagen in the Oder-Spree district, a devastating fire has badly damaged the historic Skaby Castle and put it in a collapsed state. According to RBB24, the property damage is over one million euros. The roof structure of the castle, which was built around 1780 at Frederick the Great at the behest of Frederick, completely burned out on Saturday morning. The extinguishing work, in which a total of 13 fire departments were involved, took until noon. Fortunately, there were no injuries, while the cause of the fire so far remains unclear.

The castle has a turbulent story that goes back to the 18th century. Over the years, it served as a hunting seat in the 1920s and was used as a educational home by the Franciscan Order from 1925. The building also had a military function in World War II by using it as a hospital. After the war, the Stasi took over the castle and the adjacent site, which was a restricted area until 1990. The building has been empty since the fall of the wall and is currently being offered for sale.

cultural assets under pressure

The destruction of cultural assets, especially by fires, is a big topic. In the last half century there were numerous spectacular major fires in historical buildings in Germany, which caused high losses in cultural assets. Examples of this are the Anna Amalia Library in Weimar or the German Cathedral in Berlin. According to Feuertrutz, the causes of fires in historical buildings are often technical defects, arson or improper work. Historical buildings, such as the Skaby Castle, are particularly at risk of fire because they were often built from combustible materials and require special fire protection measures.

It is particularly tragic that irretrievable cultural values ​​are lost due to every fire. Cultural assets are not only material objects, but also part of the identity of a society. It is therefore all the more important to better protect such buildings and take appropriate fire protection measures.

The Skaby Castle, which was previously a place with a variety of usage history, is now in front of ruin and is another sad evidence of the dangers that historical buildings are now exposed to. In view of these developments, responsibility for the preservation and protection of such cultural goods must be a central concern of society.

The future of the castle remains uncertain, while the sale of the property is due and the memories of its eventful past could fade. Investigations into the cause of the fire are underway, hoping to avert further mischief from this historical place.